Brian Purcell

Brian Purcell

Brian Purcell forms one half of Bill Cullen’s trusted team of aides on the show, alongside entrepreneur Jackie Lavin and is a partner with Insight Consultants, a full service public relations and communications company, where he serves as Director of Communcations Campaigns. So says TV3′s biography of Brian.

He has over 14 years experience in the Irish Public Affairs/Government Lobbying sector where he has helped clients in the financial, healthcare, leisure, utilities and marketing/sponsorship sectors.

As Senior Marketing Communications Director at the Glencullen Group he has become one of Bill’s most trusted advisors and his experience as Bill’s right-hand man will enable him to spot the right attributes needed to be The Apprentice.

Brian Purcell hails from the five-pub village of Ballyduff in Co. Kerry. He spent his youth working in the family pub during school holidays and fishing for salmon in the local rivers. His love of fishing prompted him to study Environmental Science in UCD.

On completing university he went on to work as a Marine Biologists for ESB’s Salmon Farms. It was here he got his first taste of PR and Marketing.

He was the main spokesperson who defended the fishing industry during the controversy surrounding allegations that fish farms were responsible for the decline in sea trout due to sea pollution. His main aim was to make angling sites marketable for tourism which he did successfully for 5 years.

In 1999, EU funding ceased to aid the Central Fishery Board and Brian decided to reinvent his career. He secured his PR qualifications in UCC and headed to the “Big Smoke” to make his fortune in marketing and public relations.

Prior to working with Bill Cullen, Brian worked for two major PR consultancies, including Gibney Communications and Fleishman Hillard Saunders. Throughout the years, Bill Cullen approached Brian about various roles within the Glencullen Group until he finally accepted the position as Marketing Director.

His time working for the Glencullen Group has left him with a wealth of experience, which means he understands the demands the future apprentice will face when working for Bill.